Cooperating firing and indexing devices for revolver-type firearms



Feb. 25, 1964 y Filed Aug. 23, 1962 F. P. REED COOPERATING FIRING AND INDEXING DEVICES FOR REVOLVER-TYPE FIREARMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

jj. $42. l

Feb. 25, 1964 F. P. REED COOPERATING FIRING AND 3,122,060 INDEXING DEVICES FOR TYPE FIREARMS REVOLVER- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 23, 1962 United States Patent O States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Filed Aug. 23, i962, Ser. No. 216,985 '7 Claims. (ill. 39 li55) (Granted under Titie 35, US. Code (i952), sec. 2:56)

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to firearms of the revolver-type and more particularly to the devices for ring such rearms and for successively indexing the chambered cylinder.

It is one object of this invention to provide a revolvertype firearm which is of sound structure and positive in operation and which is inexpensive to manufacture.

It is another object of'this invention to provide a revolver-type firearm which utilizes setback of a tired Cartridge case by blow-back action to energize the bolt assembly so as to perform the cyclic functions of cooking the firing pin thereof and assist in indexing the cylinder to align the next successive chamber therein with the barrel.

The specific nature of the invention as Well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinally cross-sectioned view of a revolver-type firearm showing the firing pin cocked and the cylinder indexed in tiring position by the bolt;

FIG. 2 is a view taken along line 2 2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a view taken along line 3 3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view taken along line 4 4 of FIG. l;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the fired case set back to energize the bolt assembly;

FIG. 6 is a view taken along line 6 6 of FIG. 2 and shows the indexing pawl held disengaged from the cylinder by the front member of the bolt assembly;

FIG. 7 is a View similar to FIG. 6 but showing the indexing pawl freed to engage one of the notches in the cylinder; and

FIG. 8 is a view taken along line 8 8 of FIG. 7.

Shown in the gures is a firearm 12 having a tubular receiver 14- in which a bolt assembly 16 is slidingly mounted for longitudinal travel. Depending from receiver 14 is a pistol grip 18 in the front side of which there is pivotally mounted a trigger 20 for manually actuating a vertically sliding sear 22 by conventional linkage (not shown).

Fixed to the front end of receiver 14, as by thread means, is a box-type frame mount 2d which forms a lateral opening 26. Mount 2d includes a rear plate 2d and a front plate Sil and centrally mounted therebetween is a rod 32 which is arranged parallel to the axis of receiver 14. Rotatingly mounted on rod 32 is a cylinder 34 which is provided with ten chambers 36 arranged symmetrically around the axis thereof and Which are respectively arranged for receiving a cartridge 38. Receiver 14 is fixed to rear plate 28 adjacent the upper end thereof by coupling di), and the breech end of a barrel 42 is matingly received by an opening in front plate 3d so that the axis of the barrel and receiver 14 are axially aligned. Chambers 36 are arranged to be in coalignment with barrel 42 and receiver 14 when indexed at a firing position, as hereinafter described. Barrel 42 is fixed to front plate 30 by a coupling 44. operationally ICC disposed between front plate 30 and cylinder 34 is a torsion spring 46 which is loaded by turning the cylinder in a clockwise direction, see FIGS. l and 3, so as to drive the cylinder in a counterclockwise direction when free. Chambers 36 are formed so that, when cartridge 33 is fully seated therein, base t8 of case 50 of the cartridge is spaced slightly forward from the rear face of cylinder 34 to permit setback of the case approximately .O60 to .080 inch before the base contacts rear plate 28 when the cartridge is discharged. A channel 51 extends radially from each of the chambers 36 to the outside periphery of cylinder 34 in the rear face thereof for a purpose which will be disclosed hereinafter.

Bolt assembly 16 includes a front member 52 and a rear member 5d both of which are of cylindrical configuration. Front member 52 and rear member 54 are provided with pairs of laterally opposed flanges 56 and 58, respectively, which are slidingly received by mating ways dil in the inside wall of receiver 14 to guide such front and rear members in their longitudinal travel. A compression spring 62 is disposed between the rear end of rear member d4 and a butt plate 64 mounted to the rear end of receiver 14 for biasing the rear member forwardly. A coil spring 6d having a compression resiliency less than that of spring 62 is located between front member 52 and rear member 54S. A firing pin 68 is fastened at the rear end to rear member 54 so as to extend coaxially forward therefrom. The front end of the firing pin is provided with a striker portion 70 of smaller diameter which is contactable with a primer '72 in case Sil when in the firing position and the rear member is in the forward striking position. Provided through front member S2 is a stepped bore 74 for matingly receiving tiring pin 68 so that the end of striking portion 7d extends from front member 52 for contact with primer 72 of cartridge 3S when indexed at the firing position.

The front end of front member 52 is cut down to form a tongue 76 which extends forwardly from a front v/all 78 and which is of a rectangular configuration. Tongue 7d is extendable through an aperture Sil in rear plate 25 so as to have contact with base 48 of cartridge 38 at the tiring position. Aperture di) has the same cross-sectional dimensions as the cross-sectional area of tongue 7e and is designed to be longer than the thickness of rear plate 2% so that, when front wall '78 is in contact with the rear face of rear plate 28, cartridge 38 at the 12 oclock tiring station is positioned by the tongue at its forward fully seated position in the associated chamber 36. The vertical height of tongue 76 is greater than the diameter of chamber 36 at its mouth so that the tongue is partially received by the associated channel 51 which has sucient depth to permit displacement of cartridge 33 to its fully seated position by the tongue. The width of channel 5l is slightly greater than that of tongue i6 and is provided with a right wall, see FIG. 8, which, when in contact with the tongue, indexes the respective chamber 36 at the firing position.

A pawl S4 is pivotally mounted in an accommodating vertically disposed recess 86, formed in the rear face of rear plate 2S to the right and below aperture S0 by means of a lateral pin 88. Pin 8S mounts pawl 84 approximately midway the length thereof so that the top end of the pawl, noted at 9i), is contactable by front wall '7S for forward displacement. A tang 92 extends forwardly from the front side of the lower end at pawl 84 so as to be receivable in one of ten mating notches 9d which are formed symmetrically 'm the rear face of cylinder 34 around the axis thereof and positioned so as to be in respective association with corresponding chambers 36 as hereinafter described.

A spring 96 is operationally disposed between top end 2S and the inside wall of recess 86 to bias such top end outwardly and tang 92 inwardly so as to be pressed into one of the notches 9d when aligned therewith. Notchcs 94 are arranged so that, when tang 92 is received by one thereof the rotation of cylinder 31tby spring 46 is blocked to locate the associated chamber 36, which is the next successive chamber moving into firing position, slightly in advance of the iiring position. When yfront member 52 is `forwardly displaced to its battery position, so that front wall 'i8 thereof is in contact with iront plate 39, pawl 3dis actuated by contact of the -front wall with top end 90 to withdraw tang 92 from the associated notch 94 and thereby free cylinder 34 Ior rotation by spring 46 to where right side d2 olf the associated channel Si contacts tongue 76, thereby indexing the associated chamber 36 at the tiring position.

Firing pin 63 is held cocked by sear 22 through the contact thereof with a wall 93 :formed at the rear end of a channel 10b extending rearwardly from front face of rear member 54 along the underside thereof.

Operation Thus, when tirearm 12 is ready to be tired, tiring pin 68 is held cocked by the engagement oi wall 93 in rear member 54 with sear Z2 and front member 52 is pressed forwardly by spring 66 to the battery position with cartridge 38 in chamber 36 at the tiring station being held forwardly in its fully seated position by tongue 76. Also, tang 9?. is held free of the notches @d by the contact o front wall 78 with top end 90 of pawl S4, When trigger 2t? is pulled and sear 22 is disengaged from wall 98 by conventional linkage (not shown), rear member is freed to be displaced forwardly by spring 62 so that striker portion '70 impacts against primer '72 of the tiring position cartridge 38 to cause discharge thereof.

The discharge sets case 5d back by iblowback force to where base d8 contacts the lfront face of rear plate id and bolt assembly 16 is, consequently, energized for its operational functions. During the recoil displacement of bolt assembly 16, front member 52 and rear member 5dtravel rearwardly together until the energy therein is absorbed by spring 62. When the energy in bolt i6 is reduced to zero, the transferred energy in spring 62 moves the bolt assembly forward in a counterrecoil stroke. During the initial portion of the counterrecoil stroke, wall 98 in rear member 54 makes engagement with sear 22 and the rear member is thereby held cocked while front member 52 continues forwardly to battery position under the 'bias of spring 66.

When front member 52 moved rearwardly from battery position, pawl 84 Iwas freed to be pivoted by spring 96 `so as to press tang 92 inwardly. Tang @2 contacts the rear face of cylinder 34 until tongue '76 is displaced rearwardly out of the associated channel 5l. When tongue 76 becomes disengaged from the associated channel Sill, cylinder 34 is freed to be rotated by spring 46 in a counterclockwise direction until tang 92 drops into the next succeeding one of the notches 9d, whereby rotation of the cylinder is stopped with the next successive chamber 36 positioned slightly in advance of firing position.

When front member 52 is adjacent battery position during its counterrecoil travel, top end 9@ of pawl S4 is contacted by front wall assembly 78 so as to remove tang 92 from associated notch 94, lwhereupon cylinder 34tis freed to continue rotation under the bias of spring 46 until tongue 76 is contacted by right side S2 ot the associated notch to index the next successive chamber at the firing position.

From the `foregoing it is clearly apparent that there is taught herein a combination tiring and indexing device which is simple in design and positive in operation to make possible a revolver type firearm which is of sound construction yet which is inexpensive to manufacture because of the minimum number of parts required through the operational cooperation of the firing and indexing devices.

`Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail herein, it is evident that many variations may be devised within the spirit and scope thereof and the following claims are intended to include such variations.

I claim:

l. A revolver-type lirearm including a rotatable cylinder with a plurality of chambers for respectively receiving a cartridge with a case for discharge therein, said chambers being respectively formed to permit set back of said case therein when said cartridge is discharged, and a bolt assembly arranged to 'be energized for reciprocation by set back or said case.

2. A revolvertype firearm including a rotatable cylinder having a plurality of chambers for respectively receiving a cartridge with a case for set back therein when said cartridge discharged, a bolt assembly having a tiring pin, means in said bolt assembly engageable by a sear to cock said tiring pin during reciprocation of said boit assembly, means `for positioning said cartridge in said chambers to permit set back of said case for energizing said bolt assembly for reciprocal displacement, and a pawl device disposed for operational cooperation with said bolt assembly to index said cylinder for positioning the chambers therein successively at a iiring position.

3. A revolver-type rearm as deined in claim 2 including a spring arranged for biasing said bolt assembly towards said cylinder and `wherein said bolt assembly includes a rear member acted upon by said spring and arranged to carry said iiring pin, a front member including a bore to receive said -ring pin and permit extension thereof through said front member for impact with said cartridge when in the firing position, and means on said front member arranged for operational cooperation with said pawl device for indexing said cylinder to position said chambers successively at the firing station.

4. A firearm including a receiver, a barrel, a cylinder, a torsion spring arranged to rotate said cylinder when energized, a cartridge including a case, a plurality of chambers symmetrically formed in said cylinder around the axis thereof, means for rotatingly mounting said cylinder between said receiver and said barrel so that said chambers are successively alignable with said barrel at a firing position, said chambers being respectively formed so as to permit set back of said case therein Afrom a ully seated position by discharge of said cartridge, a bolt assembly mounted in said receiver for sliding reciprocation therein and adapted to be energized for reciprocation by said case when set back, said bolt assembly including a tiring pin arranged to be cocked by a trigger actuated scar during reciprocation of said bolt assembly, a spring disposed in said receiver for biasing said bolt assembly forwardly therein, and means cooperating with said bolt assembly and said torsion spring for indexing said cylinder to successively position said chambers at the tiring position.

5. A firearm as defined in claim 4 wherein said means for mounting said cylinder between said receiver and barrel includes a box-type fralme having a rear plate contactable by said case to limit t-he set back displacement thereof, and wherein said bolt assembly includes a tongue extending forwardly from a front wall through a mating aperture in said rear plate for contact with the base of said case in the tiring position to hold said cartridge in the fully seated position when said front wall is in contact with said rear plate and to transfer set back displacement of said case by discharge of said cartridge to said bolt assembly so as to be energized for rearward travel in said receiver.

6. The rcarm as defined in claim 4 wherein said means for rotatingly mounting said cylinder includes a rear plate disposed between said receiver and said cylinder, and said bolt assembly includes a rear member for carrying said tiring pin, said rear member being acted upon by said spring for forward displacement in said receiver, means formed in said rear member for engagement by a sear for releasably holding said rear member in a cocked position, a vfront member, a stepped bore through said front member to permit extension of said firing pin therethrough for impact with said cartridge located at the firing position, a tongue extending integrally forward from a front Wall on said front member for extension through a mating aperture in said rear plate for positioning said firing position cartridge at the .fully seated position when said front Wall is in contact with said rear plate, and a spr-ing disposed between said front and rear members for biasing said -front member forwardly relative to said rear member to effect contact between said Vfront wall and said rear plate when said rear member is held in cocked position.

7. A rearm as dened in claim 6 wherein said means cooperating with said bolt assembly for indexing said cylinder includes a pawl pivotally mounted on a -pin laterally disposed in said rear plate, said pawl including a tang extending from said pa-Wl below said pin for releasable engagement with one of a plurality of notches in said cylinder equal to the number of chambers and respectively corresponding thereto for stopping rotation of said cylinder to position the corresponding one of said chambers adjacent the tiring position, a top end on said pawl positioned above said pin :tor contact by said front wall on said front member when said front wall is adjacent said rear plate to disengage said tang from the associated one of said notches to permit continued rotation of said cylinder by said torsion spring, a channel extending radially .from each of said chambers in the rear face of said cylinder to permit the displacement of said cartridge to the fully seated position thereof by said tongue when said front wall on said front member is in contact with said rear plate, and a right side formed on each of said channels so as to be contacted by said tongue to stop rotation of said cylinder when the corresponding one of said chambers is located at the -ring position after said tang is disengaged lfrom the associated one of said notches.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A REVOLVER-TYPE FIREARM INCLUDING A ROTATABLE CYLINDER WITH A PLURALITY OF CHAMBERS FOR RESPECTIVELY RECEIVING A CARTRIDGE WITH A CASE FOR DISCHARGE THEREIN, SAID CHAMBERS BEING RESPECTIVELY FORMED TO PERMIT SET BACK OF SAID CASE THEREIN WHEN SAID CARTRIDGE IS DISCHARGED, AND A BOLT ASSEMBLY ARRANGED TO BE ENERGIZED FOR RECIPROCATION BY SET BACK OF SAID CASE. 